Box-protector.



' J. KURZ.

BOX PROTEGTOR.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. a, 1912.

1,O59, 1 7 1 Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

JOSEPH KUBZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOX-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15,1913.

Application filed December 5, 1912. Serial No. 735,056.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH Kunz, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing in New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBox-Pro tectors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The object of the present invention is a protective device especially intended for ocking boxes or the like, in such a manner, that any attempt to fraudulently open the box willbe readily discovered.

A further object of the invention is to provide a box protector or look, by the applicat-ion of which the cover and sides of a box may be held locked together in such a man ner that it is impossible to remove one or the other and to fraudulently exchange the contents without being detected by the purchaser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a,clasp which effectively protects the edges of the box during the handling or transportation of the same.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and it will be understood, that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which sim ilar parts in the several views are designated with like numerals of reference, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of my device, and Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective front view of a modified form of my device, and Fig. 4 is a rear view thereof.

Referring particularly to the drawing: The body part a; of the protector is angularly bent forward and downward as shown at b and 0, and the lower end of the triangularly shaped downwardly directed part c is provided with an extension cl, preferably in the form of an edged nail. The body a is provided near its upper edge with an opening 6 and its lower edge is recessed as at f to form prongs g, g with which it is slidingly guided within suitable grooves it formed in the lower body portion 2'. Upon its front side, intermediate its length, the lower body part 2' has a tongue j stamped out of the metal of said part, or otherwise made integrally therewith, and bent at right angle out of the plane of said body. Said tongue has a hole in near its conveniently sharpened front end, in alinement with the nail cl, adapted to provide a passage'for the same when the device is in its locked position.

Prongs Z, Z near the upper edge of the lower part, and a prong m in its center and intermediate its ends, serve to enter the material of the box to be locked and materially assist in securing the device in its locked position upon a box. This locking position is chiefly effected by the catches a, 72 upon the lower end of the prongs g. g gripping under the side edges of the tongue j while the point of the same is entering the material of the box.

The front edge of the lower part is either square or has the form of a horse-shoe and is provided as shown in the modified form of my device as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4: with a plurality of teeth p adapted to enter into the wood, etc., and materially to assist in securing the device upon a box. Inthis modified form the nail (Z is formed in the center of the plate 6 while the three free edges of said plate are provided with downwardly directed triangularly shaped catches r, r at the sides and g at the front adapted to engage with its pointed end a slot 8 provided in the rectangularly bent flange s of the lower body portion 2" and in alinement with said catch QB- The body part a is provided intermediate its length at the upper ends of the shanks g, g with'notches or recesses 25 adapted to grip during the locking position of the device around the edges of the tongue 3' while in this position the catches a. of the shanks g, g engage the teeth 1) thus insuring a double locking of. the box protector.

The device operates in the following manner: The tongue j and the prongs Z, Z and m of the preferred form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, or the tongue 7', the sharpened flange s and the prongs p of the modified form illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, are driven into the sides of a box and enter the material of the same, whereafter the parts a are driven downwardly so that the nails (Z, enter the top or bottom, as the case may be, of the box and lock with the holes 70, while at the same time the catches a a of my preferred form grip under the side edges of the tongue j. In my modified form these edges will be engaged by the notches 6 while the catches a, a engage corresponding teeth of the lower body 2" thus securely locking the box against any attempt to fraudulently open the same, as the goods contained therein can only be removed by breaking the sides, bottom or cover of the box. To facilitate the sliding engagement between parts a and 11, the former is provided on its rear with suitable grooves a.

While the device is particularly adapted for wooden boxes of ordinary construction, used principally for the shipment of goods of various descriptions, it is apparent, that the device can also be effectively used for locking boxes of any material into which nails may be readily driven.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A device of the character described, comprising two members, one of which is provided with guiding flanges and a tongue rectangularly disposed to the plane of said member, the other member consisting of two parts at right angle to each other, one of said parts provided with a recess and prongs formed thereby slidingly engaging said guiding flanges of the other member, catches upon said prongs engaging the side edges of said tongue in their locking position, and means for securing the two members to the lid and sides of a box, respectively.

2. A device of the character described, comprising two members, one consisting of a plate provided with guiding means and a tongue integrally formed with and rectangularly disposed to said plate provided with a perforation near its sharpened and pointed front edge, said plate being adapted to be secured to the sides of a box, and the other member consisting of two leaves at a right angle to each other, one of said leaves being adapted to be secured to the lid of a box, and the other leaf to slidingly engage the guiding means of said first named plate, means for securing the members to the sides and lid of a box, respectively, means for engaging the perforation in the tongue, and means for interlocking the two members when secured across the edges of a box.

3. A device of the character described, comprising two members, one consisting of a plate provided with guiding flanges and a tongue integrally formed with and rectangularly disposed to said plate provided with a perforation near its sharpened and pointed front edge, said plate being adapted to be secured to the sides of a box, and the other member consisting of two leaves at a right angle to each other, one of said leaves being adapted to be secured to the lid of a box, and the other leaf to slidingly engage the guiding flanges of said first named plate, means for securing the members to the sides and lid of a box, a nail upon .one of said leaves for engaging the perforation of said tongue and in alinement therewith, and means for interlocking the two members when secured across the edges of a box.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH KURZ.

Witnesses:

E. A. SINGER, T. KAEMPFER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G, 

